Car-coupling.



SZARKA.

CAR COUPLING. APPLLCATION mso ssPTf23, 191s.

Patented web. {8,1919. 13' i AUGUST SZARKA, 0F VESTABURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnted Feb. 18 1919 Application filed September 23, 1918. Serial No. 255,216.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, AUGUST SZARKA, a subject of the King of Hungary, residing at Vestburg, in the county of:` Washington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, pf which the following is a specification.

invention relatesto car-couplers of the link type.

Thfe objectyof this invention -isto provide means whereby the coupling of cars may be effected.'automatically and whereby the coupling-link `may be readily' released without danger to the man operating the same.

, On the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal View of a coupling taken on the line I--I of Fig. 2 and embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a top plan view of my invention; Fig. 3, a horizontal longitudinal section taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, a. transverse section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1. On the drawings, 1 designates the coupler body'which is provided wlth alongitudinal opening, the inner portion thereof being shaped transversely in the form of a cross having right angles. The two lateral members of the cross-shaped opening are marked with the numeral 2 and the two vertical members thereof with the numeral 3. ',Ihe front portionof the said opening is recitangular in cross-section and flares forwardly from the front end of the said cross-shaped portion.

A recess 4 is provided in the itop of the body 1 just above the forward end of the cross-shaped portion of the said opening.

` The central portion of this recess intersects vlthev upper portion of the upper member 3.

A pivoted latch 5 is inserteddowirwardly 1 through the recess 4fand has the lateral bearings 6 resting in the bottom of the recess 4 at the sides thereof. This latch 5 extends through the top member 3 and in the bottom member 3 and lies between the lateral 'members 2.7 The recess 4 is covered by a plate 7 removably secured in a recess in the top'bof the body 1. The body 1 is provided with a recess;8n in its bottom just forwardly of the latch 5. ,5 A

flat spring 9 is secured in a recess in 'the bottom of the body 1 and has secured to the forward end thereof the catch or detent 10 which occupies the recess 8 and has its upper surface-beveled to correspond with the slant of the flaring portion of the body opening.

11 is a. transverse shaft which passes through the body 1 at the rear of the detent 10. Y To this shaft I secure two forwardly projecting arms 12 working in recesses 13 in the body 1 at opposite sides of the lower member 3 of the body opening. The forward ends of these arms 12 lie upon the lateral projections 14 of the detent 10. 15 represents a handle for rotating the shaft 1l.

In order to couple together two cars, one of the cars is provided with the coupling link 16 shown on Fig. 1. The parts of the couplenbeing as shown on the drawings, the lilik 16 enters the flaring end of the coupler opening and is guided by the walls thereof into the horizontal members :2 of the crossshaped opening of the body. The forward end of the link 1G first engages the forward side of the latch 5 and swings thesame rearwardly in the upper member 3 unt-il the `latch drops into the opening inthe link. The latch then swings forwardly into engagement with the detent 10 and serves as a coupling pin to prevent the withdrawal of the link 16 from the body 1. lV hen it is desired to release the link it is only necessary to operate the handle 15 in the proper direction to cause the arms 12 to press the det-ent 10 downwardly below the lower end of the latch 5, whereupon the link 16 may be withdrawn, causing the latch 5 to swing forwardly in the upper member 3.

I prefer to have the pivot-bearings of the latch a little forwardly of that side of the latch which faces the front or flaring opening in the body 1 so that, when the detent 10 is pressed down below the latch the latter will automatically swing forwardly over, the top of the detent, thereby preventing thefdetent froln coming up in front of the latch. I provide the forward side of the lower end of the latch with a projection 5a which insures that the latch will keep vertical when engaged with the detent.

The detent 10 may be made slidable on the front end of the spring 9 by providing the latter with a lug 9a which extends up into a recess in they bottom of the detent. The lug is provided with aslot 9b through which a pin 9 extends to secure the detent to the spring. The slot 9b permits the detent to slide on the pin 9c and engage the forward wall of the recess 8, so that heavy shocks on the detent 10 and spring 9 may be greatly lessened. 1

I prefer to make the side-members 2 somewhat inclined outwardly a'nd rearwardlv for a short distance from the region otl the detcnt l() as shown at 2 to provide lateral play for the link when the car goes around sharp curves and the link is in the rear part of the opening in the coupler body.

I claiml. In a car-coupler. a body having a longitudinal opening. a link receivable into the opening, a pivoted latch arranged to swing in the opening and to be pushed rearwardly b v the link entering the opening and to drop into the opening in the link. a detent in an opening in the bod)y to prevent the catch from swinging forwardly, a swinging plate supporting the detent. means permitting the detent to slide on the plate and into engagement with the` front wall of the last-named opening, and means for making' the detent ineffective. i

'2. In a car-coupler, a body having a longitudinal opening, a link receivable into the opening. a pivoted latch arranged to swing in the opening and to be pushed rearwardly by the link entering the opening and to drop into the opening in the link, a detent to prevent the catch from Swinging forwardly,'and means tor making the detent ineffective, the Said opening Haring rearwardly and laterally beyond the detent. to permit the inner end of the link to swing horizontally when pushed in the reail portion ot' the opening.

' In fa ar-coupler. a body having a longitudina'lI opening, a link receivable into the opening. a pi'voted latch having lateral pivot bearings and arranged to swing in the opening and to be pushed rearwardly bythe link entering the opening and to drop into the opening in the link, a detent to prevent the Copies of this patent may be obtained for catch froin swinging forwardly, means for making the detent inett'ective, "th'esaid bod\v having open-ended recesses in' its top lide to receive the pivot bearinghl of the latch. and a removable cover t'or the recess.

4.' In a car-coupler. a body having a longitudinal opening with its front portion tapering rearwardly and its rear portion cro s shaped, a link receival'ile into the lateral members 0f the cross-shaped portion ot' the opening, a pivoted latch arranged toswing in the vertical members of said cross-shaped portion of the opening and to be pushedV rearwardly b v the link entering the opening and to drop into the opening in the link. a detent to prevent the c-altch from swinging forwardly, and a rotary shlaft provided with arms to engage and deprets the detent below the end of the latch. i ,w

5. In a ear-coupler, abody having a longitudinal opening with i front portion tapering rearwardly and its'rear portion crossshaped, a link receivable into the lateral members of the cross-Shaped 'portion of the opening, a p-ivoted latch arranged to swing in the vertical members of said erossshaped portion of the opening and to be pushed rearwardly by the link entering the opening and to drop into the opening in the link, a. spring plate secured to one side of the body, a detent carried by the Spring plate and pressed thereby into the path of the latch to prevent the catchfrom swinging for wardly and means for making the detent ineffective. v Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa., this 11th day of September, 1918.`

AUGUST SZARKA.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

